Just 4 ingredients to make these oat flour peanut butter cookies, a healthier Christmas cookie everyone will enjoy! Easy to make gluten free and made with less sugar, each cookie is less than 100 calories!
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Do healthy Christmas cookies exist? I'm not sure a healthy Christmas cookie does exist but I do know that a healthier or healthy-ish version does (think just 4 ingredients and less sugar) aka these oat flour cookies!
If you want to keep Christmas baking on the lighter side this year, or you are just craving some healthy Christmas cookies, make this batch ASAP. I've got a ton of cookie recipes you need to try and a few other Christmas treats like Muddy Buddies and Ginger Loaf Bread that are so simple and easy to bake!
Baking oat flour cookies and desserts are one of my favorite things to do recently - check out my oat flour brownies and you'll see what I mean! Or try a no bake dessert like my oat flour cookie dough recipe.
What Makes This Recipe Work
- Gluten free, low calorie, no added oils, no butter (dairy free!) and less sugar than traditional cookie recipes (just make sure your ingredients are certified gluten free if that’s a concern.)
- Chewy and exploding with peanut butter goodness!
- More protein than the usual cookie. Each cookie actually has 3 grams of protein each!
- Super simple ingredients, easy to make and you probably already have the 4 ingredients on hand!
Ingredients For This Recipe
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
- Coconut Sugar: Feel free to swap for honey or maple syrup.
- Peanut Butter: I recommend using an all-natural, creamy version.
How to Make This Recipe
This is a step by step walkthrough of how to cook this recipe. Exact cook time and temperatures are available in the recipe card at the bottom.
This recipe is easy as 1-2-3! First, mix up all of your ingredients in a large bowl. Second, roll out 24 cookie dough balls using a small scoop. Third, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 6-8 minutes.
Expert Tips
- If using all natural peanut butter (rather than Skippy or Jif) be sure that the oil that is on top of the jar when opened is stirred completely in and the texture is consistent.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cookies may also be frozen by placing cooled, baked cookies in a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months.
- Make vegan or eggless by swapping out eggs for a flax egg.
- To make into a bar, press cookie dough into an 8X8 glass baking dish lined with parchment paper. Once oat flour cookie bars have baked a cooled, cut them into bars.
- Customizations: add in mini chocolate chips or mashed banana. If adding banana, up the oatmeal flour a bit so the cookie dough is not too runny. You could also swap out peanut butter for any other nut butter you prefer - almond would be great or you could try sunflower butter if you want to make these with no nuts.
FAQs
I haven't tried making these with almond flour but the base of the cookie is really peanut butter, not flour so I would say you could try swapping for almond flour with minimal changes. I would not suggest using coconut flour.
Yes. The original recipe was a flourless 3 ingredient version. You can make it that way with no flour, or you can bake them using oatmeal flour. I like the stability and texture the flour gives the cookies.
Related Recipes
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Oat Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 egg
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup oat flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with coconut oil spray.
- Combine ingredients until smooth.
- Scoop out cookies with a small cookie scoop onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes and do not overbake.
Notes
- If using all natural peanut butter (rather than Skippy or Jif) be sure that the oil that is on top of the jar when opened is stirred completely in and the texture is consistent.
- Storage: Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cookies may also be frozen by placing cooled, baked cookies in a freezer-safe container and freezing for up to 3 months.
- Customizations: add in mini chocolate chips or mashed banana. If adding banana, up the oatmeal flour a bit so the cookie dough is not too runny. You could also swap in any other nut butter you prefer - almond would be great or you could try sunflower butter if you want to make these with no nuts.
nina
We made quite a few different types of cookies for our Christmas spread, and these were by FAR the most popular with everyone! Shocking to me as they are so simple-- but deceptively so, as they are so delicious! I did add a bit of cinnamon and almond extract at the request of my daughter. This recipe is a keeper and I'm making them again today! 🙂
Lyndsey
Thanks Nina! I'm so glad your family loved them.
Kathy
I'd like to try these. Is that really only 1/4 cup of oat flour per batch?
Lyndsey
yep that's right! generally peanut butter cookies have just a little bit of flour to keep them together and oat flour tends to be a bit more absorbant than all purpose so that is why it's only 1/4 cup.
Megan O'Kane
Wow quick and easy ! I might have to make these for my family over Christmas!
mommafitpgh@gmail.com
thanks for checking it out!! I hope they love them!